Flush valve



G W. STEWART' Auge 3l 9 192.

FLUSH VALVE Filed NOV. 9, 1925 5min,

Patented Aug. 31, 1926.

UNITED STATES CLIFFORD W. STEWART,

OF DENVER, COLORADO.

'FLUSH VALVE. .7

Application filed November This invention relates to improvements in flush valves of the type usually employed in connection with toilet iixtures.

It is the object of this invention to produce a valve of simple7 practical construction that shall be positive in its operation and which will have no small openings that are liable to clog up and render the device inoperative.

rlhe above and other object-s that will become apparent as the description proceeds are attained by a construction that I will now describe in detail, reference for this purpose being had to the accompanying drawing` in which the preferred construction has been illustrated and in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical diametrical section showing my improved valve in closed position;

F ig'. 2 is a sectional view similar to that shown in Fig. 1 but in which the parts are shown in open position;

.digit 3 is a view taken on line 3-3, 2 and shows the bottom of the piston;

Fig. l is a sectional view of a modiiied construction of piston, and

Fig. 5 is a diametrical section showing a modiiied construction.

Numeral l represents the supply pipe and 2 the discharge pipe, the ends of which are connected by my valve. The supply pipe is connected to al source of water under pressure and pipe 2 is usually connected to a toilet fixture although it may be connected to anything else as my valve may be employed `tor many different purposes. My valve consists of a body member 3 havinga cylindrical chamber 4f which is open at the top and has an opening' 5 at the bottom. An upwardly extending flange 6 surrounds vthe upper end of opening 5 and serves as a valve seat. The. walls bounding the chamber 4 are internally threaded at the top and a closure member 7 has a threaded portion 8 which engages the threads on the chamber walls. A` rubber washer 9 is clamped between the upper end of the wall and the fiange 10 so as to forni a seal. The closure 7 has a central opening` 11 whose lower end is surrounded by a downwardly projecting' flange .12 which serves a valve seat. Surrounding the seat or flange 12 is a cylindrical downwardly projecting1 wall 13 having' its lower interior surfaces threaded as indicated by numeral 14. A. plug 141 is threadedly connected with the part 13 and has a 9, 1925. Serial lNo. 67,767'.

downwardly extending cylindrical part-15 of somewhat smaller diameter than the part 111-1, it also has a threaded axial opening 16 for the reception ot' the screw 17. The plug 141 has a plurality of openings 18,'although these may be dispensed with if the cylindrical part 13 has openings like those indicated by numeral 18. Extendingupwardly from member 3 is a cylindrical wall'19 which is exteriorly threaded for the reception of the cap 20 that is provided with a central. opening 21 which extends through the'bottom wall of the recess 22 which is threaded interiorly for the reception ot the plug` 23 that 'serves to compress the packing' material 2liabout the valve stem 25 which eze tends through the gland and through the opening 11 in the cover member 7. This stem has an integral flange 26 on its inner end. A ring,- 27 of rubber, leather, liber or any other suitable material rests upon the upper sur ace of the flange 26 and is adapted to be moved upwardly against the seat 12 by the combined action oi.E the spring 23 and the pressure of .the water within chamber 4f. A. passageway 29 connects the space 30 between the cover members 7.and 2O with the outlet 5 so that any liquid that enters the space 30 will flow through the passage 29 into the outlet pipe 2. Located within the chamber 4 is a hollow cylindrical plunp er or piston 31 whose outer diameter is somewhat smaller than the interior diameter of the chamber ll. A guide member is threadedly connected with the bottom ot member 31 and serves to hold the resilient washer 33 in place.V Secured to the screw 17 is a piston comprising' a member 34 havina' a tubular central hub 35 which is threaded, on its exterior surface, for the reception of a clamping nut 36 which serves to secure the leather cup 37 in place, It it is desired, two leather cups 37 may be employed in the manner shown in Fig. 4 as such an arrangement will prevent thepassage of liquid in either direction. The opening` in the hub 35 is larger in diameter than the screw 17 so as to torm an annular space between the two cylindrical surfaces. The upper end of the hub 35 is provided with a plurality ot notches 38 so as to preventsealing; 'when the parts occupy the position shown in Fig'. 2. The conical sides of the head oi' the screw 17 has one or more small lgrooves which provide small leakage channels when the parts are in the position shown inFig.

1. If it is found desirablesimilar small grooves 40 may be provided in the seat in the member 34 or these may be employed to the exclusion of the grooves 39.

Instead of employing the screw 17 and the gr'ooves above described, the member 14 may be constructed in the manner show n in Fig. 5 where the corresponding part is designated by 14a. The downwardly extending portion 15'c1 has a central opening 41 whose upper end is enlarged in the manner indicated by numeral 42, for the reception of a ball 43. The seat upon which the ball rests has one or more grooves 44 which permits a slight leakage downwardly past the ball, the part 15a has anoutwardly projecting flange 45 and below this flange a threaded projection 35a which receives a clamping nut 36 which serves to hold the leather cup 37 in place.

Let us new assume that pipe 1 is connected to a source of water under pressure and that pipe 2 is connected to a toilet fixture or to any other receiver. Spring 28 tends to hold the gasket 27 against the seat 12 and prevents water from flowing out through the opening 11. The gasket 33 rests upon the seat 6 and prevents the water from 'flowing downwardly into pipe 2 through the opening 5. It is obvious that the pressure of the water will tend to seal the openings 5 and 11. Let us now assume that pressure is ap plied to the head 46 and that the rod 25 is moved downwardly suiiiciently to unseal the opening 11. Water will now rush through the openings 18, through the opening 11 into chamber 30 and thence down through the passage 29 into pipe 2. When the pressure in chamber 4 is released by the downward movement of the rod 25, water will begin to flow through the annular space between the piston 31 and the interior surface of chamber 4 and will also exert an unbalanced pressure against the shoulder 47 thereby producing a force that moves the piston 31 upwardly towards the position shown in'Fig. 2. When the combined piston and cylinder 31 starts its upward movement, the plunger comprising parts `34, 86 and 37, which remain stationary, will have a relative movement with respect to the part 31 until the bottom of the chamber 48 comes into contact with the head of the screw 17 (Fig. 2). Any water in the chamber 48 escapes through the opening in the hub 85 vand through the grooves 38. When the parts reach the position shown in Fig. 2, water will 'How from pipe 1 through the 'openings in theguide 32 and into pipe 2. The weight ofthe piston 31 with its attached guide 32 as well as the action of the water produces a force tending to move the parts downwardly into thel position shown in Fig. 1. This movement is retarded by the action of the hluuger attached to the screw 17, which prel2to that shown in Fig. 1.

vents water from entering chamber 48 except through the grooves 39 or 40 which may be made sufficiently small to retard the closing to any extent desired. By turning the screw 17 into the `opening in th'e plug 15 or by unscrewing it, the extent of the upward movement of the piston 31 can be regulated and this will regulate the time it takes the valve to close. It is evident that if the grooves 39 vand 40 are made very small, it will take a longer time for the water to fill the chamber 48 than if they were larger so that the timeV for closing is also determined by the extent of this leakage as well as by the position of the screw 17. `When pressure is removed` from the head 46 the opening 11 will be closed; the pressure above the piston 31 will now very quickly become equal to the pressure below wherefore the weight of the parts and theaction of the water as it flows through and past the guide member 34 produces force that tends to' movev the valve parts from the position shown in Fig. rlhis movement can only takel place as fast as the water can enter the chamber 48 and, as above explained, this depends upon the leakage through the grooves 39 and 40 or equivalent leakage channels.

I desire to call particular attention `at this point to the fact that my valve is self-cleaning by which is meant that the small leakage ports such as the passages for the-flow -into and out of the chamber 48 are formed by relatively movable parts that will not clog up, which nearly always happens where small holes are used for this purpose. Vhen a double leather, like that shown in Fig. 4 is employed, the liquid can enter and leave the chamber 48 through the opening about the screw 17 only and since it is necessary that the valve shall open quickly and close slowly, it is obvious that the passage must be larger when the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 2 than when in the position shown in Fig. 1. f

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new is:

1. A flush valve comprising abody portion having a cylindrical chamber, a closure for the upper end thereof, an inletport opening into said chamber near the lower end thereof, a hollow piston slidable in said chamber, said piston being of a slight-ly smaller diameter than the chamber so as to permit leakage, said piston having an axial cylindrical opening, said closure member being provided with a central opening, a valveseat surrounding said opening on the lower side of the closure, a downwardly projecting cylindrical wall surroundingsaid valve' seat, a plunger extendingthrough the central opening, a gasket secured to the plunger in a position to engage the valve seat, a plug threadedly connected to the inner surface of the cylindrical wall, 'a piston secured to the lower end of said plug, said piston be ing adapted to cooperate with the inner wall of the cylindrical opening' (41:8) in the hollow piston, and menne for permitting liquidy to flow into and ont of the cylindrical opening', said means permitting; the liquid to flow outwardly et a greater rate than in wardly.

2. A flush valve having, in con'ibination, a body member provided with a cylindricai chamber, a hollow pieton elidable within said chamber, said body7 men'iber having an inlet opening' near its lower end and an outU let opening in comn'iunication with the lower end thereof, a valve seat surrounding` the upper end of said outlet, said piston having a guide member adapted to cooperate with the outlet and a shoulder adapted to engage the seat. a cover member remov ably connected to the upper end of Seid body member, seid cover member having` a central opening and a valve seat surrounding' the lower end of Said opening, a valve stem extending,l through the opening, an outwardlyv extending flange surrounding,` said stem and adapted to cooperate with said valve seat to close the opening', a downwardly extending' cylindrical wall surrounding the valve seat on the cover member, a plug threadedly connected to Suid wall, a piston connected to the plug', said piston being; adapted to cooperate with the opening' in the hollow piston, said piston having an opening extending from one side thereof to the other, means comprising a valve device for controlling?,v the el'ective area of said opening and for permitting liquid to flow in either direction past the piston, said means permitting` liquid Vto flow out ot the hollow cylinder at a faster rate than it can flow into the same.

3. A Hush valve comprising, in combination, a body member having' a cylindrical opening', a valve Seat ot smaller diameter than the opening?,l and located near the lower end of the opening, a piston slidably mounted in Said cylindrical opening, said piston having' an annular shoulder adapted to en gage the valve seat, an inlet opening into the cylindrical chamber directly above said valve seat, said piston being of slightly Smaller diameter than the chamber in which. it is located, said pieton being also provided with a cylii'idrical axial opening, a second piston member secured to the body member and slidable in the opening in the tiret piston, said second named piston being` provided with an opening through which liquid may flow from one side of the piston to the other side thereof and means for changing' the effective area of said opening in the pieton so that the liquid may flow faster in one direction than in the other direction.

n testimony whereof I aifix my signa ture.

CLIFFORD WV. STEWART. 

